Calls for tougher action against drunk and drug-impaired driving intensify after a fatal Klang crash, with leaders urging sustained enforcement, public awareness and victim compensation.
PETALING JAYA: Calls for tougher action against drunk and drug-impaired driving have intensified following Sunday’s fatal crash in Klang, sparking renewed scrutiny over enforcement, public awareness and whether victims’ families are adequately protected.
MCA vice-president Datuk Lawrence Low said stronger follow-through is long overdue, stressing that punitive measures alone are not enough.
“Efforts previously were not limited to stricter penalties alone, but were complemented by extensive public awareness campaigns to educate society on the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as well as reckless driving.”
He urged the Transport Ministry to clarify critical questions as he said: “Has enforcement been insufficient? Have the public awareness campaigns on the dangers of drug and alcohol-impaired driving, initiated in 2020, been discontinued following the change in government?”
Amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987 under sections 41 to 45 previously introduced heavier penalties for driving under the influence (DUI) but Low said implementation must be sustained to make an impact.
Meanwhile, Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye rejected calls for the death penalty in fatal DUI cases, arguing that imprisonment remains the most appropriate course when guilt is established in court.
“This is something that is very serious. But I feel that to call for the death penalty on that person is a bit on the extreme side. So, I feel that there should be mandatory imprisonment.
“So, if he is charged and if it is proven that he is guilty, then I think he should be in prison. For how long? Maybe between three to five years of imprisonment.
“But to sentence that person to death, I think that is, as I said, too extreme. That is why I say I disagree.”
He added that enforcement must be carried out with integrity, particularly in breathalyser testing, and fines should remain high enough to deter repeat offending.
Highlighting another systemic gap, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo said families of victims often receive little direct support, even when offenders are punished.
“Malaysia lacks a dedicated compensation mechanism for victims of DUI cases, whether involving alcohol or drugs. As a result, families are effectively failed twice, first by the incident and then by the system meant to deliver justice.
“The MMA considers this unacceptable and in urgent need of reform. Justice must not stop at punishment. It must extend to protection, support and dignity for the families left behind.”